International World Tour History

International World Tour Golf Links is the brainchild of Mel Graham, a designer and developer who spent eight years choosing and replicating inspiring holes from among the most exclusive courses around the world. Here is a brief World Tour history:

October 1999 – Opened as International World Tour Golf Links, originally with 27 holes, by Mel Graham, President and CEO of Graham Enterprises, the parent company, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

2002–2009 Won many awards for both the courses and the golf shop.

May 2012 – Tom Plankers came on board as General Manager.

Early 2013 – Completed a major renovation, which included converting the Open Nine and the Championship Nine to MiniVerde Bermuda, removing trees, improving drainage, and renovating the bunkers and putting in new sand, reshaping all of the collars and tie-ins around the entire green complex, and repairing cart paths.

June 2013 – Closed the International Nine for possible residential development.

2014 – International World Tour Golf Links was purchased by Yiqian Funding, which has formed Founders Group International.

Celebrating a game popularized in the 15th century, World Tour Golf Links sports its own interesting history and facts.

1. To play the courses which inspired World Tour Golf Links, you’d have to travel nearly 20,000 miles, through six times zones and five different countries.

2. Of the courses that inspired World Tour, 16 are so exclusive that the average golfer would not be able to play them at any price.

3. Greens fees for just one round at each of the six public courses featured at World Tour would total more than $1,000 – not including airfare and lodging.

5. Six different countries with four different languages (English, French, Scottish and Spanish) inspired the holes at World Tour.

6. Over one million cubic yards of dirt were moved to authentically recreate the features and hazards of the 27 holes included on the World Tour.

7. During initial research for World Tour, owner Mel Graham traveled thousands of miles to visit each hole on a 150-hole “short-list” of potential layouts.

8. There are more than 2,000 azaleas planted around the four holes inspired by Augusta National.

9. Of the U.S. states represented at World Tour, Florida is the top “repeat contributor”. Bayhill, Doral, Jupiter Hills, TPC Sawgrass, and Seminole all made the World Tour cut.

10. For “Most Holes Inspired by a Single Course”, the title goes to Augusta National. Augusta’s 11th, 12th, and 13th (the trio that comprises the legendary “Amen Corner”) are on the Championship Nine; #16 is on the Open Nine.

11. Outside the United States, the United Kingdom is home to the most World Tour-inspiring courses with Royal Troon and St. Andrews in Scotland and Wentworth in England.

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